How to Grow Savoy Cabbages UK
On this page
- Savoy Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda)
- When to Plant Savoy Cabbages in the UK
- Quick Facts
- At a Glance
- Soil & Growing Conditions
- Growth Stages
- Harvest & Storage
- Diseases
- Pests
- Savoy Cabbage, Transplant to Frosted Head
- Plan your Savoy Cabbages planting
- Growing Savoy Cabbage in another region
- References
- Frequently Asked Questions
In the UK, savoy cabbages go in the ground early March to early August.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: sowing early March, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.
The short answer
- Plant
- Early March to early August
- Biggest risk
- Black rot of brassicas
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Savoy Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda)
2 sources cited · Verified
When to Plant Savoy Cabbages in the UK
When to plant savoy cabbages in the UK: in Southern England, sow early March to early August. Find your area in the table below.
| Region | Sow |
|---|---|
| Southern England | early March to early August |
| Midlands | early March to early August |
| Northern England | early March to early August |
| Scotland | early March to early August |
Southern England - detail & sources
The only source gives a two-window US planting pattern (late summer transplant for fall/winter harvest, early spring for a second crop) rather than UK-specific dates, so a spring-through-summer window spanning both approaches is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the source does not support.
Midlands - detail & sources
The only source gives a two-window US planting pattern (late summer transplant for fall/winter harvest, early spring for a second crop) rather than UK-specific dates, so a spring-through-summer window spanning both approaches is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the source does not support.
Northern England - detail & sources
The only source gives a two-window US planting pattern (late summer transplant for fall/winter harvest, early spring for a second crop) rather than UK-specific dates, so a spring-through-summer window spanning both approaches is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the source does not support.
Scotland - detail & sources
The only source gives a two-window US planting pattern (late summer transplant for fall/winter harvest, early spring for a second crop) rather than UK-specific dates, so a spring-through-summer window spanning both approaches is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the source does not support.
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil texture | clay, loam or sand, high organic matter (NC State Extension) |
| Drainage | good drainage |
| Lifecycle | biennial grown as an annual |
| Edible parts | leaves, head |
At a Glance
Soil & Growing Conditions
Water: moist, consistently (NC State Extension)
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing | 0 | Start seeds indoors; transplant in late summer for fall/winter harvest, or in early spring for a second crop (NC State Extension). |
| Transplanting | 3 | Space 12 inches to 3 feet apart depending on cultivar; full sun, moist well-drained soil high in organic matter (NC State Extension). |
| Head formation | 4 | Blistered, crinkled leaves develop into a looser, less densely packed head than smooth-leaved cabbage (NC State Extension). |
| Harvest | 8 | Ready when heads feel heavy for their size and colour is bright green (NC State Extension). |
Harvest & Storage
When to pick: Ready when heads feel heavy for their size and the colour is bright green (NC State Extension).
Diseases
Pests
Savoy Cabbage, Transplant to Frosted Head
Plan your Savoy Cabbages planting
When to sow and plant Savoy Cabbages depends on your own frost dates. Check the UK vegetable planting calendar. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.
Growing Savoy Cabbage in another region
Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.
References
-
CABBAGE: spacing affects head size -- for 2-3lb heads space 9-12in apart in rows 36-44in wide. Soil pH 5.8-6.5, base fertiliser 5-10-10 at 3lb per 100 sq ft, side-dressed with nitrogen. Water to keep moisture uniform, moistening soil to at least 6in; establishment and maturation are the critical periods. Ready 60-80 days after transplanting; harvest when the head is firm and has reached adequate size. Head cracking or splitting is caused by excessive water uptake and growth near maturity. Pests: imported cabbageworm, cabbage looper, diamondback moth caterpillar, harlequin bug, maggots, aphids, flea beetles. Diseases: black rot, wire stem, damping-off, downy mildew, Alternaria leaf spot, soft rot. CHINESE CABBAGE: best sown in late summer and autumn rather than spring, since spring plantings risk bolting after frost or prolonged cold nights; thin to 12in for Michihili types and 18in for Napa types; more susceptible than ordinary cabbage to Alternaria leaf spot, less prone to wire stem and downy mildew.
-
Full sun (6+ hours direct). Soil: clay, loam or sand, high organic matter, neutral pH 6.0-8.0, good drainage with moist conditions maintained. Height 1-2ft, width 1-2ft, spacing 12in to 3ft apart depending on cultivar. Seeds can be started indoors and transplanted in late summer for fall/winter harvest; early spring planting yields a second crop. Ready to harvest when heads feel heavy for their size and colour is bright green. Grown as an annual (technically biennial). Medium growth rate and maintenance. More tender and subtly sweet than other cabbages, with crinkled leaf appearance and less densely packed heads. Pests: slugs, cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, caterpillars, cutworms, nematodes, cabbage aphids. Diseases: leaf spot, blackleg, black rot, yellows, root maggots.
2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I sow savoy cabbages in the UK?
In Southern England, from early March. In Scotland, wait until early March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow savoy cabbages?
Sow early March to early August.
What problems affect savoy cabbages?
Our data links 2 diseases and 2 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
Get the UK Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for UK growing conditions
How this guide is put together
The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against RHS and Met Office guidance. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.
Last verified 2026-09-02
Plan Savoy Cabbages by month
The months this guide gives for sowing or planting, each with the full list of jobs for that month in the UK:
- What to plant in March
- What to plant in April
- What to plant in May
- What to plant in June
- What to plant in July
- What to plant in August
More from the same group (brassicas & mustards):
Growing advice for your part of the UK
Timing and conditions change a lot inside one country. These guides cover frost dates and growing seasons region by region.
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Keep going
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.